The short duration recoil forces which takes place at the interface of a gunner and the launch tube of a shoulder fired rocket are evident even on rocket launch tubes which are designated as being recoilless. These short duration recoil forces that vary in magnitude and direction include detent release, gas drag, and friction. If the gunner is in direct contact with the launch tube at the time these forces are present, it follows that the accuracy of the rocket launching can be impaired as further described hereinbelow.
For a normal recoil system, the impairment to accuracy begins when the action first starts during a microsecond time period that a force is applied to a gunner and is intergrated with time. The gradually changing instantaneous force on the gunner causes a torque or twisting action to take place, changing to some degree the muzzle position before the projectile leaves the launcher.
In order for a recoilless rocket launcher to achieve a marked improvement over existing prior art launchers, the design of the shock absorbing means must reduce the total reactant forces to the gunner, and additionally offset the start time of reaction of these forces.
Therefore, the primary object of this invention is to improve the accuracy of a rocket launched from a recoilless rocket launcher by design features which permit the rocket to exit the launch tube before any angular movement of the launch tube is permitted.
Another object of this invention is to reduce the effects of forces on the gunner by design features which reduce the peak forces by spreading the time of applied forces to thereby achieve the desired effect to the gunner.
A further object of this invention is to allow the positive and negative recoil forces to add together and reduce the resultant force before such force is transferred to the gunner.
These and other objects of this invention will evolve to those skilled in the art from reviewing the complete specification of this invention set forth herein.